x-tian-230k

Thanks for the update. My car is going in to the shop next week for a bunch of issues, one of which is the dead body in the trunk and knocking noise. Let me see what my dealership comes up with. I will keep you guys posted also!

Benz-O-Rama

Just an update...


Still at the dealer.

Been there since Tuesday. They didn't touch it until today when "they thought they had it fixed" as my SA put it. Until the test drive revealed that the dead body just doesn't want to die. <----- Does that even make sense?

The service manager agrees that there is a problem and vows to move Heaven and Earth to get it fixed. We'll see about that. But we're going on just about 2 full weeks now with no remedy.

I'll keep you posted.



x-tian-230k,

Any luck with yours? I know that you were gonna take it in to get looked at.

On a lighter note, I just purchased new wheels for it. Upgraded to 18's....should be here next week. Can't wait.

x-tian-230k

I am sending my car back next tuesday. There is a slew of issues my SA has to look at on my car but the knocking and dead body are a few of the issues!

Benz-O-Rama

Okey Dokey.....hold on to your butts!

Recieved a call from my SA asking me to come in. I goto the dealership and meet with the service manager. He proceeds to tell me that after 2 weeks of trying to locate the dead body hiding in my trunk, that there is no problem and that all W211's equipped with airmatic suspension make this noise. Of course I get all steamed up but before I could even get a word out of my mouth he stops me and says "We just drove 3 more E-classes with Airmatic and to his surprise they all make that noise" I immediately dismiss this as him blowing me off because they can't find the problem. He asks me to take a ride in these cars, and sure enough THEY ALL DO THIS!!!! UNBELIEVABLE! I couldn't believe it. I can tell you that they tore my entire car apart looking for this noise and they were just as shocked as me to find this out. I mean they took all of the seats out, minus the driver's seat and the trunk lining, he then got in the trunk with some sort of crazy looking listenening device and had a tech drive him around..WITH HIM IN THE TRUNK...crazy. So, after all of this, I'm satisfied that it's something that I'll have to live with. I can tell you that when you drive with the airmatic in sport mode, the sound goes away, completely. And after they replaced virtually every suspension peice back there, it is much, much better, but still there. So here's a list of everything they did.

For the dynamic seats:

211-800-01-48 replace pnuematic pump for dynamic seats



For the Comand not playing MP3's:

DTB - 82.60/382
Published 9/20/2004


For the car pulling to the right:

Performed 4 wheel alignment


For the dead body:

2 211-326-28-00 Replace rear shock absorbers
1 211-320-07-25 Replace air spring driver side
1 211-320-08-25 Replace air spring passenger side
2 211-328-00-58 Replace seal holder
4 201-990-02-92-9051 Replace rivets

So, there you have it. So it looks like it's something that I'll have to live with

Oh, totally unrelated, I had them lower my car via Star Diagnostic while it was there. It looks great now, and since my new wheels will be here next week, I went ahead and had them drop it. They only charged me $105.00

See my new thread for pics.

Benz-O-Rama

Crap! I take it back, it still does make that noise in sport mode!!! Maybe I was on crack or simply still elated that my dealer lowered my car for me via Star Diagnostic, but it's still there in sport mode.

What to do , what to do. I'm not sure I'm upset enough to take any further action because they really did replace every friggin suspension component back there and it is alot better. Just no completely gone.


x-tian-230k,

Keep us posted on how yours turns out.

WEBSRFR

Was the 4 wheel alignment covered under warranty?

discipulus

I am taking my car in today and having the SA ride with me to check the noise as they said they were unable to duplicate on the last visit. My car also started to eat my front right tire on the outside like crazy. Went through a tire in a couple thousand miles..... Hoping that is the source of my clunk as it seems to be coming from the front. Maybe they will give me a new tire? Probably not.

Also, I will be having the MP3 upgrade done per your info posted. Thanks! Guess while I am there I will check into all the other "campaigns" to make sure she is up to date. Any other things I should check into? I own a 2004 E500 4Matic. Thanks guys.

x-tian-230k

I'll keep u posted..... She goes in tommorow for a slew of problems.... Keepin my fingers crossed!

Benz-O-Rama

Well,

I put new rubber on it 2K miles ago and they aligned it thenn so they split the cost of the alignment with me. Had I not had them lower it, the alignment would have been covered.

ENEM

Well, mine has always done it, in all three airmatic modes. I just assumed it was normal until I saw your thread.

It is a very disconcerting noise and as you said before rather embarassing if you have passengers.

But my car has so many other faults that I have ignored this one. All of them are in the class of minor and irritating, but not what I expect from £50,000 worth of Mercedes-Benz.

EN EM

sts15

I have the same thump. When you go over the speed bump look in your rear view mirror. Watch the back seat head rests bounce. Does it every time...

To check it, put the head rest in the up position and see if you hear a body...then go to the dealer and tell him to go **** himself.

brianhn1

Wow. Maybe you're right, I'm 360 miles away from our E500 but I'll confirm this when I see it.

rjm

I read a good article on Dieter Zeist (sp) (CEO of Daimler/Chrysler) today while I was in the dentist's office. He has vowed to turn Mercedes quality around and has made it his #1 priority. Hopefully if he is successful, these kind of irritating problems will go away.....if not, I guess Lexus and BMW will sell more cars.
We'll see......

Benz-O-Rama

HOLY CRAP!!!!

If this is what it is, I'm gonna flip out!!! I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow, without the E but I will check as soon as I get home. I did, however, walk out to the garage and get in the back seat and flop the headrest down and I gotta tell you, that sounds an awful lot like the sound I'm hearing.



STS15,

If this it, Mercedes-Benz needs to put you on the payroll as you would have solved a very annoying problem for many, many of us.

This will totally blow my mind if is what it ends up being. I mean, my car has had EVERY suspension peice changed and was at the dealer for 2 weeks before they told me "they all do that".

UNREAL!

zergcerebrates

The Thump noise is normal. Before I got my car I test drove several E classes, and at the Mercedes Test Drive Event they all have thump noises. Anyways after two years of owning the w211 I modified it with 20" rims and the thump noise is slightly louder, so my point is the harsher the road or bump or the bigger the rims can cause the noise and with comfort mode its louder, the noise is reduce in sports mode.

Dvinn

Told you that sound was normal. I just hope the rattles won't bother you down the road since they ripped out every piece of parts back there, usually when you tear apart stuff it will create rattles it's not going to happen right away but it will slowly creep up on ya. Just a heads up so you don't go crazy thinking why your E is making all kinds of noises againl.

Benz-O-Rama

Well,

I locked my headrests in the upright position and the sound is still there. DAMN, I was hoping that's what it was.

So, maybe Dvinn was right all along.


x-tian-230k,

Any update on yours?

zergcerebrates

I know this might sound strange but the sunroof shade/cover whatever you call it can cause this noise if it was pushed backed into the rear area while you go on rough roads or bumps.

sts15

I am sorry the rear head rests did not clear up the problem for you. I know there is a thread soemwhere about the thumping head rests, but I could not find it.

I live in Princeton NJ and we have a lot of speed bumps and they cause my head rests to thump just like you described. It was very discerning at first but once I saw them bounce in the rear view mirror and read about them in some thread, I learned to watch them bounch and it is pretty funny to see.

x-tian-230k

I am gettin my car back today hopefully! Its been in the shop for almost 2 weeks. I'll keep you guys updated.

Christian

rjm

It's not the headrest and it's not the sunroof shade. The bump clearly comes from the rear of the car in the center. It sounds like the u-joints are loose and the rear axle is thumping up and down when you go over a bump or depression. My E-series had it from day #1 and I never could get rid of it during the 5 years that I owned the car. I have no idea what it was, but everytime I go over a bump or depression now in my BMW or Lexus LS430 it is perfectly silent and it is wonderful. For those who have the "thump," it is truthfully irritating and embarrasing, especially if you have someone with you in the car.

x-tian-230k

I got my car back from the dealership but my service advisor was out so I wasn't able to talk to him about the repairs. I drove off from the dealership and hit a few bumps. The knocking sound is still there. I got home and went over a few speed bumps and the dead body is still there. I have to talk to my service advisor when he come back in on monday. I am truely dissappoint because they had my car for almost 2 weeks and the two main issues were not resolved..... I'll let you guys know whats going on....

Benz-O-Rama

Yep,

I've read this book before. I wasn't convinced that the sound was normal until the service manager took me for a ride in 2 other airmatic equipped E-classes. Sure enough, both had dead bodies.

Man, I know how disappointed you are. They had my car for 2 weeks as well, and when I went to pick it up, I was so sure that it was going to be fixed.


I just try to tune it out now, but it's very hard.

x-tian-230k

WHat about the knocking sound when you go over uneven bumps? SOUnds like something is loose. Do you have that knocking sound?

Benz-O-Rama

Yep, exactamundo!

Man, so frustrating.